Brick for locomotive-arches.



R. A. B. WALSH.

BRICK FOR LOCOMOTIVE ARCHES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17. 1916.

I Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

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ROBERT A. B. WALSH, OF ST, LOUIS, MISSOURI.

BRICK FOR LOCOMOTIVE-AECHES.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

Application filed April 17, 1916. Serial No. 91,717.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT A. B. lVALsH, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bricks for Locomotive- Arches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification, in which j Figure 1 is a sectional view showing the tiles and bricks in position. Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of one of the bricks. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of one of the bricks. Fig. at is a bottom plan view of a modified form of brick. Fig. 5 is an end elevational view of another modified form of brick.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in bricks or tiles used for arches in locomotive boilers, or stationary boilers, as the case may be, the object being to construct the bricks or tiles in such a manner that when assembled in position they will permit a circulation of gases entirely around the tube on which said bricks rest.

Heretofore bricks for the purpose described have been used in which the recesses at the lower outer edges of the bricks, which accommodate the tubes have had a continuous bearing upon the tube throughout the length of each brick, while in other cases, slabs forming the battle have rested directly upon the tubes, the width of the slabs in some instances being such as to extend over several tubes. In both instances referred to there can be no circulation of gases entirely around the tube and consequently as the bricks forming the arch or bafiie retain heat for a considerable period of time, and the undersurfaces of their supporting tubes are being constantly subjected to varying degrees of temperature, it frequently happens that there is an uneven expansion and contraction of the tube which in time has a tendency to distort the tube and possibly produce loose joints between the tubes and the headers to which they are connected. By my present invention I am enabled to expose the upper as well as the lower surface of the tube to the gases in the combustion chamber, the bricks forming the arch being supported by the tubes at intervals, their contact with the tube being what is known as a point contact.

In the drawings 1 indicates the body portion of the brick or tile whose lower side edges are recessed as at 2 to accommodate the hollow supporting tubes 3 which latter, as is well known, are usually inclined downwardly at their forward ends and are connected to headers whereby water circulating therethrough may be converted into steam. The undersurfaces of these bricks are provided with projectionsas shown at 4, said projections being disposed entirely over the bottom and including recesses 2. These projections, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, are pyramidal in form and provide communicating passages throughout the entire undersurfaces of the brick and over the tubes 3. In' assembling the bricks on the tubes, it is unnecessary that special care be taken to insure registration of the bricks as the intercommunicating passages between the pro jections provide spaces through which the products of combustion may pass from the space under one brick to the space under the other at a point over the two.

\Vhile it might be desirable in some instances to have the side edges of the bricks contact with each other over the tubes, I prefer, in practice, to leave a space 6, as shown in Fig. 1, to induce a circulation of gases on the underside of the arch to the space above the arch. In this manner, all of the gases above the bed of fuel, which are subject to varying degrees of temperature, to which the tubes are exposed, as when adding green fuel to the fire, or raking the fire, are not compelled to pass around the end of the arch but portions of suchgases are drawnup through the spaces 6 by the draft on the furnace and consequently practically the entire surface of the tube is simultaneously subjected to the varying temperatures in the combustion chamber.

7 indicates the side rows of bricks which may have projections on their undersur-' faces, as described with respect to the bricks l which form the body portion of the arch, these side rows of bricks preferably being inclined and having their outer edges resting against the side wall 8 of the furnace.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modified form of my invention in which the projections 4 do not cover the entire undersurface of the brick but are arranged in staggered relation to each other so as to thereby increase the space for gases.

In Fig. 5 the projections 4" are shown as being semi-spherical in shape instead of pyramidal.

It will be readily understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved bricks for locomotive arches may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, withoutdepa-rting from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A brick for furnace arches having its lower side edges formed for engagement with the arch tubes, and projections extending over the entire surface of said lower side edges forming intercommunicating passages 2 around the arch tubes.

2. A brick for furnace arches having its lower side edges formed for engagement sages, and the entire bottom portion of saidbrick also having projections forming similar intercommunicating passages.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflixmy signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 15th .day of April, 1916.

ROBERT A. B. WALSH. Witnesses:

M. P. SMITH, F. R. CORNWALL. 

